Poem: It Had Only Been Loaned

It Had Only Been Loaned

was handed over
to be used,
but it was never given,
though it was held
for a long time,
was not thought of
as conditional,
would not be given back,
no, even to say
it should be given back,
to suggest it should not be used
this way
or by those who wielded it.
It was theirs now,
it was right it should be,
they were certain,
would do what was necessary
to protect their beliefs.

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